First Love Monster


First Love Monster or Hatsukoi Monster is a Japanese shōjo manga series written by Akira Hiyoshimaru and published in Kodansha's Aria magazine. An anime television adaptation aired from July to September 2016.

Plot

The story follows 15-year-old Kaho Nikaidō as she leaves home to live in a high school dormitory. Almost getting hit by a truck, she is saved by a boy named Kanade Takahashi. She falls in love with him, only to discover that he is her landlord's son and a fifth grader.

Characters

;Kaho Nikaidō
;Kanade Takahashi
;Tomu Kaneko
;Ginjirō Sannomiya
;Kazuo Noguchi
;Jōji Takahashi
;Kōta Shinohara
;Atsushi Taga
;Arashi Nagasawa
;Daikoku Nikaidō
;Chiaki Yokōchi
;Mafuyu Hayashi
;Shūgo Takahashi
;Yuki Fukaya
;Munemitsu Makurazaki
;Renren

Media

Manga

First Love Monster is written by Akira Hiyoshimaru, who began publishing the manga in Kodansha's shōjo magazine Aria on January 28, 2013. Its last chapter in the magazine was published on November 28, 2016. On March 3, 2017, the manga started publishing on pixiv Comics.
Yen Press announced in October 2014 that it had acquired the rights to publish the series in English.

Volume list

Audio drama

The limited edition versions of volumes three, four, and five include an audio drama CD.

Anime

An anime adaptation of the series was announced in the August issue of Aria. The cast of the audio dramas reprised their roles for the anime. The series aired from July to September 2016. Studio Deen produced the anime, with Takayuki Inagaki directed the series and Mariko Oka designed the characters. The anime has been licensed by Funimation and by Madman Entertainment for streaming. The anime ran for 12 episodes, released over 6 Blu-ray and DVD volumes. An OVA episode was bundled with the manga's 8th volume and released on February 17, 2017.

Episode list

Reception

Rebecca Silverman, reviewing the first volume for Anime News Network, gave it an overall grade of C−. She criticized the series for its attempts at serious romance in what was essentially a comedy, and also found fault with author's skill at drawing people. She was most heavily critical of the age gap between the two romantic leads, commenting that upon examination, "First Love Monster comedy is overwhelmed by its creepy factor." She did, however, praise the series' dialogue, stating that "the way Kanade talks is a fun mixture of childlike and more adult."